At Lourdes, in 1971, the Fede e Luce communities gathered together in the joy of celebration recognized their vocation. They formed themselves around the person with mental handicap: to him and her they owe their existence, their reason for being, their fulcrum, their point of unity.
Often, the person with mental handicap is set aside: he or she is a nuisance, a spoilsport, a burden. Because of his or her deficiencies, his or her slowness, his or her behavior, his or her way of speaking, he or she enters with difficulty into the system of our society. And often remains behind, apart.
It is true. At times he or she is a spoilsport. Feeling themselves unnecessary, not accepted for what they are, the person with mental retardation is wounded. Lives with frustrations. Is often angry and is often blamed for being angry. This worsens the situation.
The Fede e Luce communities would like to be places where people with mental handicap can "be" themselves, feel loved and appreciated for what they are. Then they find peace and inner joy.
In doing this, the communities also want to help the parents who have often been mortified by life, they, so courageous in the face of so many difficulties. They want to enable them, in a climate of sharing and friendship, to support and comfort one another. Thus some of them have discovered the true face of their child, the face of his or her heart.
Fede e Luce is no longer a "child." The movement has grown, begins to discover who it is and the demands of this growth.
It was born in celebration and enthusiasm. There was the time of the honeymoon. Now, it is the time to take root and to become aware of our responsibility before the gift that Jesus has made to us.
The person with mental retardation, like every poor person for that matter, is prophetic. He or she cries out his or her thirst for relationship: he or she does not want first of all things, he or she wants friendship.
Yet, not everyone is ready to live a friendship with him or her. One is ready, at times, to give a little money, even a little time. But to give one's own heart is a risk, because one does not know where this can lead us. And it is an even greater risk to live this friendship in fidelity, in time.
A community is truly a community when we begin to commit ourselves, to become aware that the bonds that form constitute an alliance given by Jesus. It is He who gathers the community; it is He who has called all the members to live this alliance. It is He who sends each one to build the community and to exercise his or her gift for the good of all. !
Everything changes when the mission is discovered: Jesus calls us and sends us to assume a role in Fede e Luce, to exercise our gift in it.
We are no longer there because Fede e Luce "is beautiful," because we like the people, but because Jesus sends us. When we become aware of this, a new strength is born to overcome difficulties, failures, moments of trial. I am here because Jesus wants it. He helps me and tells me: "Do not fear, I am with you."
Then we discover with greater strength the prophetic mission of the fragile person. He or she teaches us to accept each one for what he or she is, to be attentive to the most fragile, to those who have no voice, to see in each one the presence of God. It is truly a change. To live with the poor, to live in Fede e Luce community, requires that one change, that one grow in love. We are no longer directed toward our own interests and pleasures, but toward those of others. And this will only happen if hearts are gradually transformed by the heart of Jesus.
- Jean Vanier, 1990